WOOD OFF TO WEMBLEY!!

Boreham Wood Football Club secured a place in the National League play-off final at Wembley stadium for the first time in the history of the club, with a 2-3 win over Sutton United.

The scoring was opened by Angelo Balanta with a beautiful finish, before Scott Doe leapt above his marker to head in a second, via Ross Lafayette’s deflection.

Tom Bolarinwa pulled one back for Sutton, but Michael Folivi netted a third to secure the win.

Lafayette was able to add a second for the hosts, during seven minutes of injury time, but it proved too little too late.

Luke Garrard’s side will now face Tranmere Rovers in the Play-off final at Wembley, this Saturday, May 12.

Scott Doe replaced Jamie Turley in the back three, with Ricky Shakes at right-wing back and Folivi upfront with Bruno Andrade.

It was a quieter opening 15 minutes than the Wood Army have become accustomed to in recent matches, with Josh Taylor firing into the side netting from close range.

Wood top scorer Andrade twisted and fizzled a shot from 25-yards, but it sailed past the post, as the sides began to settle into the match.

Both teams were working hard in sizzling conditions, and Harry Beautyman headed over the bar, following a cross from Craig Eastmond.

Taylor surged forward for Sutton on the counter and his clipped cross was pulled back by Bolarinwa, but Beautyman’s shot ricocheted off Tommy Wright and wide.

The Wood broke the deadlock at the perfect time, just seconds before the break. Balanta met a through ball by Folivi, twisted around his marker and struck it delicately into the bottom corner.

Sutton attempted to react in injury time and Wright snapped up a loose ball on the edge of the area, but drilled his strike into the hands of Grant Smith.

They returned from the break desperate for an equaliser, but Taylor headed wide, from Kieran Cadogan’s cross.

The Wood had an all-important second goal on 54 minutes, when Scott Doe leapt with Lafayette to meet Andrade’s free kick and between them, headed the ball past Jamie Butler. The goal was officially awarded to Lafayette.

Battling to hold onto their now two-goal lead, David Stephens headed a corner clear, before Cadogan curled an effort wide. Several then stabbed at a Nicky Bailey free-kick, before Cadogan sliced off-target.

Continuing to throw everything they had at the game, Eastmond saw a shot blocked wide for a corner, which Smith was out to claim.

Sutton were able to squeeze through the hard-working Wood defence to net a first, when Bolarinwa headed home from a free-kick, after a foul on Cadogan.

Michael Folivi broke free on the counter attack for the Wood, but was brought down by Bolarinwa, for a free-kick.

Andrade stung the crossbar with a powerfully driven effort from the set-piece, Butler failed to recover from his dive and Folivi headed into the now empty net.

Seven additional minutes were added onto the match and Sutton were able to close the gap back down to one, when Lafayette headed past Smith.

With nothing left on the clock, Grant Smith pulled off arguably the greatest, and most important save of his career to date, somehow denying Craig Harrison from close-range.

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